In the past a transportation system patron reviewed a printed schedule to determine when the next transportation vehicle for a specific route was supposed to arrive at a specific transit station or shelter. The patron would carefully time themself so as to arrive at the specific transit station or shelter minutes before the transit vehicle was to arrive so as not to miss the transit vehicle. If the transit vehicle was running late, the patron may find himself waiting at the transit station or shelter for a longer period of time than anticipated. In inclement weather, during heavy traffic periods or road construction situations, the transit patron has a limited ability to determine when or if the expected transit vehicle will arrive. Furthermore, if the transit route has changed since the printing of the printed schedule or if the transit patron has an old version of the transit schedule, then the transit patron may have no idea that the transit route that they are waiting on has changed or been moved to a different station and will no longer arrive at the particular transit station or shelter that the transit patron is waiting at.
What is needed is a transit system signage device and system that provide visual transit route next arrival information at each transit station or shelter. Such a visual transit route sign would be more helpful if it could provide updated next transit vehicle arrival information for each route that stops at a particular transit shelter or station.
Presently, if a visual information sign is installed at a transit station, a network system has to be programmed to wirelessly communicate with that sign in order to provide updated information. The network transit system must be programmed by a transit system staff to provide an identifier of the specific sign and the sign's specific location (i.e., the specific transit station or transit shelter) where the transit route display sign is located.
What is needed is a transit sign that provides its location to the central system along with its identification number so that when a new sign or replacement transit shelter or station sign is installed the system can update itself and provide the proper information to the newly installed sign based on the location that the sign provides to the transit network system.
Additionally, various patrons of a transit system are visually impaired. Visually impaired patrons may not be able to read the transit signs located at transit stations or shelters regardless of what is posted on those signs. What is needed is a means for visually impaired transit patrons to receive updated information about the arrival times of a next transit vehicle for a specific route. Furthermore, it would be advantageous for a visually impaired transit patron to further be able to receive updated information about transit vehicles that are running late so that the visually impaired may not be required to withstand the outside elements for a longer period of time than necessary. Instead, they can seek other shelter while having a better idea of when the next transit vehicle for the route they're interested in will arrive at the specific transit station or shelter.